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Football League your thoughts: Newcastle come back to save a point

Ciaran Clark celebrates scoring Newcastle’s second goal with Jamaal Lascelles to save a point in their game against Bristol City.
Ciaran Clark celebrates scoring Newcastle’s second goal with Jamaal Lascelles to save a point in their game against Bristol City. Photograph: Richard Lee/BPI/REX/Shutterstock

Championship

  • Newcastle United came back from 2-0 down to claim a point against Bristol City at St James’s Park. Goals from Aaron Wilbraham and David Cotterill had given the Robins a shock half-time lead, but a Korey Smith own-goal and a late header by Ciaran Clark salvaged a point for Rafa Benítez’s side.

  • That allowed Brighton to return to the Championship summit with victory over Reading. Sam Baldock, Jamie Murphy and Anthony Knockaert got the goals for the Seagulls, who are six points clear of third with 13 games left.

  • The side currently in third place, Huddersfield Town, were pegged back by Barnsley at Oakwell, after Marley Watkins volleyed home an equaliser to Michael Hefele’s opener.

  • Chris Wood’s 20th league goal of the season was good enough for Leeds United to pull clear of Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off places. Wood was mystifyingly left unmarked to stab home the only goal in the 1-0 win, their second victory over Wednesday this season. Garry Monk’s side remain fourth, but are now three points ahead of their local rivals.

  • Derby County’s poor run continued – it’s now five games without a win for Steve McClaren’s side after Aston Villa got their first win since Boxing Day, a header from defender James Chester enough to secure the 1-0 win. It wasn’t entirely smooth for Villa though: Leandro Bacuna was sent off in the closing stages after chest-barging the assistant referee.

  • On the day that Neil Warnock signed a new contract, Cardiff City couldn’t secure all three points against Fulham to continue their impressive form under the manager. Despite the Bluebirds coming from behind to lead 2-1 in the first-half, they were pegged back by a Neeskens Kebano goal and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

  • Jota scored twice in injury-time to secure both a hat-trick for himself and a 4-2 win for Brentford over Rotherham, who remain bottom of the table. Preston beat QPR 2-1, while Wigan and Nottingham Forest drew 0-0.

  • On Friday night, Birmingham City got just their second win in 13 games under Gianfranco Zola, as they overcame the red card issued to 38-year-old Paul Robinson (the 11th of his career) to beat Wolves 2-1, their goals coming from Maikel Kieftenbeld and David Davis. Friday’s other game saw Tony Mowbray’s first game as Blackburn manager end in a 1-1 draw, with Burton Albion.

League One

  • Sheffield United extended their lead at the top of League One to seven points after captain Billy Sharp bagged a couple in their 2-0 win over Bolton. Scunthorpe remain in second place, but only just, after they came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Bristol Rovers, ahead of Fleetwood Town on goal difference, who beat Northampton 3-0.

  • Elsewhere in the top six, Bradford City grabbed a 2-1 away win at Port Vale, while Southend United lost 2-1 at Gillingham. Millwall couldn’t take advantage of Southend’s slip-up, only able to draw 0-0 at Oldham.

  • Peterborough edged closer to the playoff spots with a 3-1 win over Rochdale, while Lyle Taylor got the winner as Wimbledon beat Walsall. Oxford United thrashed Chesterfield 4-0, Conor McAleny helping himself to a hat-trick, and MK Dons beat Shrewsbury 2-1 at home.

  • At the bottom of the table, the jig looks well and truly up for Coventry, who slumped to a 3-1 home defeat to fellow relegation strugglers Swindon Town. 11 points adrift of safety, they now look extremely likely to sink into the bottom tier of the Football League for the first time since 1959. Ryan Lowe scored the only goal as Bury edged away from the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at Charlton.

League Two

  • Plymouth couldn’t take advantage of League Two leaders Doncaster only managing a 2-2 draw against Accrington, after they were held to a 1-1 scoreline against Luton. The other side in the automatic promotion places, Carlisle, fared even worse, losing 3-0 at home to Portsmouth, who are now just three points behind the Cumbrians with a game in hand.

  • Exeter City salvaged a late point at home to Blackpool, Reuben Reid heading home in injury-time to snag a 2-2 draw. Colchester beat Hartlepool 2-1 at home.

  • Both Newport and Leyton Orient remain in big trouble at the bottom, after both suffered defeats - 2-1 at Mansfield and 1-0 at home to Cheltenham respectively. Notts County inched away from the relegation zone after drawing 0-0 with Yeovil Town.

  • Elsewhere, Cambridge won at Barnet, Stevenage saw off Crewe, Wycombe’s slump continued at home to Crawley, and Lee Molyneux’s early goal earned Morecambe victory over Grimsby.